Performance assessment and application of the DSSAT-CERES-Maize model for simulating maize yield under water stress conditions

Summer maize is a major crop in the Northern Huaihe Plain, where is one of the most important grain producing areas in Anhui Province, while the maize yield has been seriously affected by drought stress for a long period of time. To maximize maize yield and improve water use efficiency, the rule of yield loss should be clarified which was caused by drought stress in the Northern Huaihe Plain. DSSAT-CERES-Maize model was used to simulate maize yield losses caused by water stress in Bengbu Station of the Northern Huaihe Plain, which was calibrated and validated with drought stress experiments conducted in 2013. Comparing the simulated yield with measured yield under different drought stresses at different growth stages, we found that simulated losses under mild drought were higher than that of measured in all growing stages, on the contrary, simulated data under moderate and severe drought were lower than measured ones in each stage. There were 8 years that loss percentage was higher than 20% from 1961 to 2015. Results implied that maize yield under rain-fed environment was higher than that of suitable water condition, which might benefit from overcompensation of rehydration after appropriate drought stress.